Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Bihar government has constituted a five-member expert committee to recommend sweeping reforms in the state’s examination system, with a focus on making exams more secure, transparent, fair, technology-driven and time-bound.
The General Administration Department issued a notification on August 23, announcing the formation of the panel. It will review examinations conducted by state examination boards, commissions, universities and recruitment agencies and examine the entire process — from registration and question paper preparation to examination, evaluation, declaration of results, grievance redressal and record keeping.
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The government said the examination system has become increasingly complex due to the rising number of candidates, expansion of higher education, growing competition for government jobs and the increased use of digital technology and artificial intelligence.
PANEL TO REVIEW ENTIRE EXAMINATION PROCESS
The committee will examine measures to prevent:
- Question paper leaks and unauthorised access to exam material
- Impersonation, cheating and malpractice at examination centres
- Tampering with answer sheets
- Manipulation of examination results
- Security breaches involving examination data
It will also review question paper-setting procedures, including multi-level setting, moderation, appointment of trained and empanelled paper setters and standardisation of difficulty levels.
Another key area will be the security of question papers and other examination material. The panel will examine their preparation, storage, transportation, distribution, digital transmission and access control, along with the collection, transportation, secure storage, scanning and evaluation of answer sheets.
The committee will also recommend a clear chain-of-custody mechanism to track question papers and answer sheets at every stage of the examination process.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, AI AND CYBERSECURITY IN FOCUS
The government has asked the committee to examine the use of digital technology, data analytics, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity tools to strengthen the examination system.
The panel will consider measures such as:
- End-to-end digital tracking of examination material
- Tamper-proof packaging and encrypted transmission
- Multi-factor authentication and biometric verification
- Geo-tagging and geo-fencing
- CCTV surveillance and stronger candidate identification systems
- Cybersecurity audits and secure command centres
The committee will review existing laws, rules, regulations and examination guidelines concerning confidentiality, malpractice, data protection and cybersecurity and suggest amendments wherever necessary.
STATE-LEVEL EXAM CALENDAR TO CHECK DELAYS
The panel will examine delays in conducting examinations and declaring results and may recommend a state-level examination calendar with fixed timelines.
The proposed calendar could set deadlines for advertisements, applications, admit cards, examinations, provisional answer keys, objections, final answer keys, evaluation and declaration of results.
The reforms will cover:
- Secondary and higher secondary examinations
- University examinations
- Professional and technical examinations
- Entrance and eligibility tests
- Recruitment and competitive examinations
The government has stressed that reforms should not create difficulties for students from rural areas, economically weaker sections, socially disadvantaged groups or those with limited access to digital technology.
PANEL TO SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS IN 3 MONTHS
The five-member committee will be headed by either a retired Supreme Court judge, a serving High Court judge or a retired High Court judge. The state government will approach the Supreme Court or the concerned High Court for nomination of the chairperson.
The panel will have three months from the date of its formation to submit its recommendations to the Bihar government. It can seek views from examination commissions, universities, government departments, district administrations, recruitment agencies, subject experts, technical institutions and technology experts.
The notification said the committee’s consultations and correspondence will remain confidential. The General Administration Department will provide secretarial, logistical and technical support to the panel.
The notification has been sent to major examination and recruitment bodies, including the Bihar School Examination Board, Bihar Public Service Commission, Bihar Staff Selection Commission, Bihar Technical Service Commission, Bihar State University Service Commission, Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission and Central Selection Board of Constable.
The government will decide on further action after considering the committee’s recommendations.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
